William k



Sept. 16, 1930. H. s. CHASE r:r AL Re. 17,797

CONTROL FOR LOCKS OR- THE LIKE Original Filed Jam.v 24. 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 1 Sept. 16, 1930. s, c s Er AL Re. 17,797

CONTROL FOR LOCKS OR THE LIKE Original Filed Jan. 24, 1924 3Sheets-Sheet 2 5 Mum/1 f2: HER BY A'ITO EY Sept. 16, 1930. H. s. CHASEEr AL R 17,797

couTizoL FOR LOCKS on THE LIKE I Original Filed Jan. 24/1924 3Sheets-Sheet s N N $1 p g L.

'N u I M Q: N w

. WM 3 a l NVENTOR HORACE 5. (f/ASE.

and

Reiaued Sept. 16, 1930 UNITED srAi'Es HORACE s. cnasn AND WILLIAM It.FLETCHER, or New YORK, N. Y. SAID FLETCHER? ASSIGNOB, BY MESNE ASSPATENT oFHc-E" xemunn'rs, 'ro SAID cnasn' coIrrnoI. r03 LOCKS on THELixn Original). 1,724,792, dated August 18, 1929, Serial Ito-688302,filed January 24, 1824. Application for v reissue filed Apri1'12, 1930.Serial No. 443,899.

.Our present invention relates to systems of' combination controls suchas doorlocks and the like. We take as an example a situation which maybe profitably considered as involving a characteristic problem and apractical .solution therefor.

' In large hotels, apartment houses and the like great difliculty hasbeen experienced with room or apartment keys. There is, first, the. 19serious annoyance due to the loss of keys, and

seriousproblem involved in the ease with w ich hotel keys may be dulicated for unlawful purposes. There is urthermore the diflicult in suchStates as'require that a the very room be loc ed against a guest ortenant who has not paid his bill, and other and various difliculties andcomplications too numerousto mention but all of common experience. A

at variety of solutions have been attempted ift so far the usual hoteland apartment house -is fitted out with key locks and the ancienttroubles continue to persist. 1

Our in'ventidn contemplates a control for a" lock b which acombinationfeature is introduce Ordinarily combination locks are.

diflicult to set and are difiicult for the average individual tomanipulate while affording little difliculty for the skilled crook towork.

In accordance with our invention a combination is very readily set andvery easily operated b anyone havin the combination. It 'provi es :1number 0 advantages and possibilities. These will be pointed out furtherin the specification as we proceed to the diswhich we have selected asillustrative. f This we show in the accompanying drawings throughoutwhich and the specification refer- Fig. 4 is an elevation of the boxwith a side:

- removed.-

Fig. 5 is a detail section of the dial hands,

cussion of, an embodiment ofour inventionenc'e characters are employedin the usual.

the system and its wiring.

Our 5 stem in the embodiment shown comrises t ree general factors whichmay first e considered in regard to the-general fllIlCr Fig. 6 is adiagrammatical indicationv of tion, In Fig. 1 is shown the "outer-face}of door X of'a wall. cabinet Y.' This door X is in fact a panel carryingtwo columns of push buttons are preferablyzassi-gned numbers and in theother letters by which the individual buttons may be designated. Thesebuttons constitute an exposed key board by which the guestor otherperson authorized to enter the room may close, in the control system,certain predetermined circuits which have been sebuttons to therepreferably beingten or more buttons in each columin In one'column the,

lected to constitute the combination on which the control is set towork. As will hereafter be explained more-in detail, each of the buttons:2: iswired in on an independent line which is connected with ainclusion in the combination the current will be transmit-tedinto thecontrol system.

The various lines from the buttons :10 are each connected with one ofthe contact-points 2 set as a dial on the inner door or panel Z. Thisdial is in effect a, four-bladed switch, the dial form being foundconvenient both on account of compactness and ease in setting. I

The dial has four arms Z Z Z Z, which are arranged somewhat-after themanner of .the hands of a clock and are of such length that each handmay contact with any one-of the points 2. These hands have posts eachinsulated from the other and passing through the plate on which they aremounted and are each separatel wiredto one of the actuated elements of te system. By setting these hands on diife'rent predetermined points a asindicated by the'number or letter assigned any combination of four orless letters or numbers ma be provided for so that when theselected,uttons are pressed each button circuit is connected through the dialwith one of the actuating devices of the system.

At this point it should be noted that "order to prevent the working ofthe combination by experiment we have provided in our system meansnecessitating a predetermined sequence of operation of the buttons inorder to obtain a successful actuation of the lock.

Thisleads us to a brief consideration of the actuating mechanism bywhich. the lock is opened. j

In any concealed andprotected location,

but preferably within a wall box such as Y,

we arrange a battery of electrd-magnets. In

the four element combination form shown we I provide four-of suchelectro-magnets 21,22,

23, 24. Of these the magnets 21, 22 and 23 operate the switches 21, 22,and23 respectlVely. V I

The Winding of the magnets 21 and 24 p I are connected directly back'tothe battery or other source of electrical. energy; while the ispectively connected back to. the

The switch windings of the magnets 22 and 23 are'trebattery throughthe'switches 21 and 22.

' v 23 operated by the last magnet 230i the com- Y I bination controlsthe lock-operating circuit.

, built up throughthe series to the final mag- The switches are operatedbythe armatures 21*,22, and 23 so that when each magnet is energized inits proper turn a circuit is -24 so thatit will be moved forward underthe influence; of the energized magnet 24 and back under the influenceof the spring which holds the-armature 24 when the latter isreleasedfrom the magnet 24. The switch pins pending switch 21 or'22.' However,when 21 and 22", on the contraryarenot connected to their'respective'armatures 2 1 and 22 but merely rest against them. Thus, when either "ofthe armatures 21 or 22 is drawn toward its magnet 21 or 22 it pushes thecorrespond: ing switch pin 21 or 22 into position to form a connectionbetweenthe leaves of the corres t e armature is released, and returnedto its released position by means of its supporting spring it does sowithout afiecting theposi- .tion of the switch pin 21 or 22". Thus theswitch 21 or 22 remains closed until its switch pin is moved away fromcontact with.

its leaves by the operation of the push bar 24".

The armature of the last magnet'24-operates a kick-01f for the first twoswitches thus breaking the established combination circuit.

If it be desired to leave the combination established the fourth buttonof the combination is not pressed. Until the fourth button is pressedthe lock may be operated by simply pressing the third button of thecombination. 7

For the purposes of the present disclosure 'it will be understood thatthe actual lock of tabli'shed the third button operates the door catchjust as the single button operates it in ordinary installations.

The above constitutes the general elements in the form of our inventionchosen for discussion herein. We will now describe the various partsmore in detail.

As before described, the-panel X, Fig. 1, may conveniently constitutethe door of a wall box Y which may be set conveniently adjacent the doorframe or in the frame it.- self. In addition to the push buttons w it isreferably provided with a small electric lig t L which may be switchedon and oil as by the switch Z, Adjacent the bottom of the door wepreferably'also provide a switch S which is cut in on the wir ng, aswill be hereinafter described, so that if desired the cur- .rent may becut off and the system thrown out of commission.

Referring to Fig. 4 which is an elevation of the box with side removed,it will be seen that the inner panel or door Z is set somewhat withinthe box or cabinet and spaced from the panel X sufficiently to giveclearance for the dial hands Z Z Z", Z. The hands are so formed thatthey ma pass each other and yet each one may be rought into contact withany one of'the contacts 2. The posts of the hands are concentricallynested as shown in Fig. 5, and insulated from each other and each one isconnected by a line, as at 101, 102,

'103, 104, with its correspondingelectromagnets 21,22, 23 and 24. r

The magnets themselves as appears from Fig. 3 and side elevation of Fig.4, may be conveniently arranged on the back of the wall box, or. moreconveniently on a removable panel Y. The magnets 21 and 22 are arrangedadjacent with their armatures 21", 22 similarly disposed. v

In closing, each of thearmatures 21*,22 and 23 operates aswitch pin as21", 22, disposed in alignment with a pair of spring contact lips ,as21, 22. The magnet 23 has its armature connected with a switch pin 23alignedwith a. air of spring lips 23 while the armature o the magnet 241s connected to a kick of! or push bar 24 the head of. which, is adaptedto engage the flanges of the switch ins 21", 22", so as to withdraw theswitch rom between its contact lips and sepa rate the armature's 21', 22of the magnets 21 and 22 from the adjacent poles of theunagnet cores. Itis therefore the function of .the magnet 24 to break the circuit whichhas been built up and thus leave the door lock ino or able until the.combination has again built up. i i

winding of the ma This kick off or circuit breaker also serves as afactor in case of attempt to work the combination by experiment, becauseif the button controlling the magnet 24 be pressed out of turn itimmediately breaks any circuit that has previously been established.

Referring now to the diagrammatical showing of Fig. 5, it will be seenthat the teridentifications.

wired, as at 111 to 120 and 311 to 320 inelusive, to their respectivecontacts 2. As before explained, the dial hands Z Z Z Z, are wiredthrough respective lines 101, 102, 103, 104-to their respective ma ets,the line 101 leading to the winding of t e magnet 21, the line 102leading to the winding of the magnet 22, the line 103 leading to thewinding of the magnet 23, and the line 104 leading to the winding of themagnet 24,. The other end of the winding of the magnet 21 is led througha wire 212 to the ground strip A connected back to the battery 252through the binding post AA. The winding of the magnet'22 is similarlyconnected through the wire 222 and the switch 21 and binding post A'Aback to the battery. Since the switch 21 is open until the magnet 21 hasbeen operated Obviously the winding of the magnet 22 cannot be energizeduntil after the operation of the magnet 21.' Similarly also the gnet 23is connected through the wire 232 and the switch 22 and binding post A-Aback to the battery. Thus, if the magnets 21 and 22 have been previouslyenergized so that the switch 22 isclosed the operation of the button 10will serve to close the circuit through the wind- .ing of the magnet 23and thus to-close the lock-operating switch 23. If, however, the switch22 has not previously been closedthe button does not control thecircuit; and even though the button 10 is operated to close its switch,nevertheless the circuit remains open at the switch 22 so that theoperation ofthe button 10 is of no effect. The

winding of the magnet 24 is connected directly to the ground strip A andthence back through the binding post AA to. the battery 252.

The main lock circuit we have indicated as connected in on the switch 23one leaf of which is electrically connected to the binding post AA andthe other to the binding. post BB. The binding post BB is also connectedto the line 250 which leads to-thc door 'latch operating mechanism andfrom thence back to the battery 252 e. g., through the line 253. Thebinding post A-Ai is also connected to the line 251 which leads tovtheopposite pole of the battery 252 and thus completies the circuitsthrough the magnets 21, 22, 23 and 24.

In the form shown in Figure 6 we have diagrammatically illustrated aseries of push buttons as indicated at 0:. In the form shown, the righthand column of buttons carry number indications which may be in sequenceor otherwise, and the left hand series carry let- This use of bothnumhers and letters has some advantage but the push buttons may be givenan character indications, or colors, or other di erentiation may beused.

tery 252. From the batteries the line 251 leads to the binding post AA,Fig. 3, from whichit will be seen that it connects directl In Figure 3,we have indicated the line241 as the connection of the winding, of'themagnet 24 with its own binding post 240-through which it is connected bythe line 104, dialarm Z, its contact point M and the line 117 with thebutton M. This constitutes a characteristic circuit by which the wiringplan will be understood. 7

It is now desirable to consider the arrangement by which the'propersequence of actuation is compelled. Take, .for example, the firstnumber, 1, of the given combination, 1--7-10-- We have indicated theline 311 running from the button a: to the corresponding contact point Zon which the arm Z ispositiOned. This arm isconnected, as indicated, byline 101 with one end of the winding of the magnet 21'. The other end ofthe winding of the magnet 21 leads by a line 212 to the ground strip Aand thence through the binding post AA and the return lead 251 back tothe battery 252. Similarly the cor- One side of each button is connectedby a y with the wlndlngs of the magnets 21 and 24.

responding ends of the windings of the magnets 22 and 23 are connectedback to the battery, but only through the' switches 21 and 22respectively controlled by the preceding magnets of the combination. InFigures 3 and 4 the lines 101, 102, 103 and 104 are shown as connectedto suitable binding posts indicated by the numbers 210, 220, 230 and24,0

respectively and from these binding posts the windings of the magnets21,22, 23 and 24 are connected by short leads 211, 221, 231 and 241,respectively. These, however, are only for convenience in the set-up andfor simplicity have not been separately indicated on the wiring diagramshown in Figure 6.

It will thus be seen that the main line connection which is established"by the actuation of the electro-magnet 23 through its switch 23, oneside of which is connected to the battery and the other sideof which isconnected by the line 400 to the binding post BB can only be establishedby a pressing of the buttons 1, 7 and 10 in the proper order and withoutpressing the button M out of its order.

actuations of the magnets 21, 22 and 23 have been completed. When themagnet 23 is energized by pressing the third number of the combinationin its proper order, i. e. the button 10, the line 400 will be energizedand the lock will be opened.

. We have not attempted to show the lock herein, as any type of magneticlock may be used in connection with this system. As before expressed,this system may be variously utilised iorall sorts of purposes, thematter of lock being discussed merely as an important and illustrativeform. The device may also be variously wired in manners which willreadily occur to those skilled in the art.

It is also obvious that various well known 'control devices, a pluralityof independent contacts circularly disposed so that each contact isengageable by one or more switch arms to selectively establish the saiddevices in circuit with any predetermined contacts and exposedindependent circuit closers, one for each contact and electricallyconnected therewith whereby a predetermined circuit combination may becompleted to establish or break the control circuit, and anelectromagnetic circuit breaker for destroying any previous circuitcombination, the circuit for said circuit breaker being dependent uponthe setting of one of the arms of the'selective circuit setting deviceand one of the exposed independent circuit closers.

2. A lock control comprising a plurality of electric circuits, anormally open circuit closer for each, a plurality'of electromagnets'having the circuits thereof electrically interlocked to effectsuccessive operation to establish a control circuit, each electro-magnetwhen energized being arranged to close a pair of contactsin the circuitof the succeeding electro-magnet to be operated whereby successiveoperation of the electromagnets is assured, a selective circuit settingdevice comprising a plurality of switch arms concentrically arranged formovement about a common axis one switch arm being provided for eachelectromagnet, one of each of said elec- The button Mis not to bepressed until the connection is set up by the tromagnets "beingconnected to one of each of the selector switch arms, a plurality ofindependent contacts so arranged that each is engageable by any one ormore of said selector switch arms to selectively set the circuit forsaid electromagnets as to require a predetermined sequence ofoperations, and a series of push buttons corresponding in'number to thecontacts of the selector device one of each of the selector contactsbeing connected to a correspondin push button, whereby any redeterminedcircuit combination as determined by the set of the circuit selectordevice, may be built up by successively closing the push buttons inpredetermined order to establish the control circuit, and anelectromagnetic circuit breaker for destroying any previous circuitcombination which may have been established, the circuit for saidcircuit closer including therein, the contacts of the circuit selectordevice and the push button circuit,

'the circuit for said circuit breaker being independent of the circuitfor the electromagnets.

3. A look control comprising aplurality of lines adapted to beelectrically energized, an exposed key board therefor, a plurality ofpush buttons on said board and consti tuting normally open closers forsaid lines, a plurality. of electro-magnets successively operable toestablish a lock circuit, a'selective circuit setting device includingconcentric switch arms one for each .electro-magnet and electricallyconnected therewith,a plurality of circularly arranged independentcontacts disposed about the switch arm axis each engageable by an switcharm selectively to establish the sai devices in circuit with anypredetermined contacts, one of each of said independent, contacts beingeach electrically connected to one of each of the for saidelectro-magnetic circuit breaker being dependent upon a predeterminedsetting of the selective circuit setting devices andthc pressing of apush button.

4. In a lock control system, a plurality of electrically controlleddevices successively operable to establish a control circuit, ,aselective circuit settin device comprising switch arms concentrlcallyarranged for movement about a common axis, one switch arm being providedfor each device, and being electrically connected therewith, a; pluraity of independent contacts so-arranged that each contact is engageableby one or more of said switcharms selectively to establish the saiddevices in' circuit with an predeterminedrontacts, exposed indepen 5m:circuit closers, one for each contact" and electrically connectedtherewith whereby any predetermined circuit combination may be completedto establish the control circuit, and an electro-magnetic circuitbreaker for destroying any previous circuit combination which ma havebeen established, the circuit for said circuit breaker being dependentupon the position of one of the arms of the selective circuit settingdevice and one of the independent circuit closers,

In testimony whereof we aifix our signatures.

HORACE S. CHASE.

WILLIAM R. FLETCHER.

